NATO: Dutchman Mark Rutte garners support to lead the alliance
Already favored to lead NATO, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is now backed by the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany to succeed Jens Stoltenberg as secretary general of the alliance.
Mark Rutte (d) holds the rope to succeed current NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (l).
Here in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July 2023. AP - Pavel Golovkin
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The Secretary General of NATO
is
appointed by consensus of the 31 allies, but this appointment process is completely opaque and the name of the new Secretary General is usually known when his appointment becomes official.
The case of Mark Rutte is an exception to the rule.
The name of the resigning head of the Dutch government, who is responsible for current affairs, has been circulating insistently for months to succeed Jens Stoltenberg, in office since 2014.
He now has the public support of three members of the Atlantic Alliance, starting with NATO's leading diplomatic and military power, the United States.
Washington made it “
clearly known
” to its allies that the Dutch Prime Minister would make “
an excellent secretary general
,” White House spokesperson John Kirby said Thursday.
If the Americans generally have the last word on this choice, the position goes to a European.
“
We want a strong candidate
,” a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said earlier, saying he “
strongly
” supported the Dutch leader’s candidacy.
“
Rutte is well respected within the Alliance, he has serious defense and security credentials and he will ensure that the Alliance remains strong and ready to provide defense and deterrence
,” he explained. , saluting the “
leadership
” of Jens Stoltenberg for nine years.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz “
supports the appointment of Mark Rutte as Secretary General of NATO
,” his spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit also announced a few hours later.
“
With his immense experience, his great expertise in security policy and his keen sense of diplomacy, he is an exceptional candidate
,” he wrote on the social network X.
Several advantages
But some of the 31 member states of the Alliance consider that the time has come for a woman to lead NATO for the first time.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas had expressed her interest, but the name of Mark Rutte now seems to stand out.
Liberal prime minister since 2010, he announced his intention to leave the Dutch political scene, but he remains in office pending the formation of a new government.
Negotiations have been slipping since
the November elections won by the far right
.
A regular at European meetings, Mark Rutte, 57, has been able to establish relationships with a number of leaders.
Another strong point is that he spent time with former American President Donald Trump, whose possible return after the November election haunts the corridors of the Alliance in Brussels.
Mark Rutte did not hesitate to go so far as to publicly contradict him during a visit to the White House.
One of the criteria mentioned at NATO is also that of a sufficient commitment to defense in the candidates' country of origin.
Member States have committed to devoting 2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to this, an objective to which the Netherlands is very close, thanks in particular to the action of Mark Rutte.
It will be essential, NATO diplomats argue, to appear engaged on this subject in the event of Donald Trump's return.
The latter had several times called on the Allies to increase their defense spending, otherwise the United States would reduce theirs or even leave the Alliance.
The only unknown is that of European appointments after the elections next June, notes our correspondent in Brussels,
Pierre Benazet
.
Because there will be a waltz of appointments to ensure at the head of the Commission, the Parliament, the Council and the diplomatic service, which could put Mark Rutte back in the race.
Also read Donald Trump's remarks on NATO: a boost for European defense?
(
And with
AFP)
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